Cover lock



Oct. 24, 1961 H. HALL 3,005,571

COVER LOCK Filed March 25, 1959 46 6 JNVENTOR. 26 49 55 Y HUGH HALLATTORNEYS United States This invention relates to apparatus forretaining covers in stationary, normally closed position, particularlyas adapted to use with containers made of flexible plastic materials orthe like.

In construction of containers such as pails or the like which includeremovable or openable covers it is desirable to provide a positiveretaining device which holds the cover in a stationary position, forexample, in closed position, without the need for hinged, rotatable, orseparate parts to perform this function. At the same time, the holdingdevice must be positive in operation so as to retain the coverabsolutely in a closed position, to prevent dislodging of the coverbecause of vibration or the like.

The present invention is described particularly with reference to itsapplication in a minnow bucket, as used by fishermen to carry live bait.In such a bucket the cover member must be retained closed positively,especially when the bucket may be submerged by hanging over the side ofthe boat or the like to prevent escape of the bait. At the same time, itis desirable not to use separate or removable parts to retain the cover,since these can easily be dislodged and lost.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide animproved cover retaining construction which eliminates the matter forseparate or removable retaining pieces, as well as parts requiringseparate assembly during construction.

Another object of the invention provides such a cover retainingstructure which may be molded integrally with a container which is madefrom thermoplastic materials, thereby providing an integral structurewhich inherently incorporates the flexibility necessary for operation ofthe device.

A further object of the invention is to provide such 'a cover retainingdevice wherein the retainer parts are of molded thermoplastic materialand thus inherently re sistant to corrosion in the same Way as the otherparts of the container to which the device is applied.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

In the drawing FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container incorporatingthe enclosure and retaining device provided by this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the cover member and retainer;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view, partially in section, of the hingemounting for the cover;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the retainer lug provided by theinvention engaged with a flexible tang on the cover;

FIG. 5 is a partial section on an enlarged scale, taken on line 5-5 ofFIG. 1, illustrating how the container may incorporate an attached lid;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged broken sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2,and showing a portion of the cover in a raised position in dotted lines;and

FIGS. 7-9 are sectional views showing in sequence the relative movementsof the parts in dislodging the cover tang from the retainer lug.

Referring to the drawing, which shows a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, a type of container atent to which the presentinvention may be applied is shown in FIG. 1 as a bucket or pail 10having a carrying bail 12, secured to the pail body by bail cars 15which may be, for example, of the type shown in my Patent No. 2,851,187issued September 9, 1958. The pail body is covered by a lid 20 which maybe formed integrally with the body '10 or, preferably, may include aninterlocking rim structure as shown generally at 22 in FIG. 5, providinga tight seal between the lid and body. The lid is provided with acentral opening 25 (FIG. 6) which includes a reinforcing annular rim,and this opening is pro vided with a cover 30 which may include aplurality of perforations 31 if desired and an annular rim 26 on thecover is received in opening 25.

At one edge the cover is provided with a hinge pin 33 formed integrallyin spaced relation to the cover with connecting arms 34. This pin isreceived within a stationary hinge mounting 35, of generally invertedU-shape in cross-section, and formed integrally'with the lid as shownparticularly in FIGS. 3 and 6. The cover 30 thus may swing about thishinge axis between open and closed positions, as shown in full anddotted lines in FIG. 6, with reference to the opening 25. At the otheredge of cover 30 is a flexible'portion in-the form of tang 40 having anaperture 42 of predetermined, prefer ably rectangular, dimensions formedtherethrough. If desired reinforcing ribs 43 may be molded into the tangor apposite sides .of aperture 42.

A lug 45 including a lower stem portion 46 is molded I on the lid 20 toextend generally in alignment with the position of aperture 42 when thecover is closed. Due to the nature of the thermoplastic material fromwhich the lid and cover preferably are formed, the connection betweenstem 46 and lid 20 is flexible so that the head of the lug may be movedsomewhat relative to the lid. The stem 46 is of less cross-sectionaldimension than the cross-section of aperture 42, so as to be receivedfreely therein, and a forwardly projecting lip 48 extends from the lug,spaced above lid 20 so as to engage over the edge 49 of aperture 42 whenthe parts are as shown in FIG. 6. Likewise, a rearwardly projecting lip50 extends over the opposite edge 51 of the aperture spaced above thelid 20, and preferably is formed on its undersurface with a rounded orcam-likeconfiguration 55 which will promote disengagement between therearward lip 50 and tang 40 when the latter is flexed upwardly aroundlip 50 as shown in FIG. 7. During this action, due to Its flexiblemounting, the lug will be moved forwardly somewhat if necessary toprovide for clearance of the edge 51 over the rearward lip 50.

The cross-dimension of the lug from the forward edge of hp 48 to therearward edge of lip 50 is somewhat greater than the cross-dimension ofaperture 42 in this direction, as can be seen readily from inspection ofFIGS. 4 and 6. The lug 45 and apertures 42 are of such rela tivedimensions, and the materials from which the flexlble tang 40 and lug 45are constructed of such a nature, that they cannot be forced i.e.,relatively compressed and/or stretched, to free the flexible tang 40from the lug, as shown particularly in FIGS. 6 and 7. Immedi ately abovelip 50, on the opposite side of the lug from the forward lip 48, is afull width upwardly opening notch 57 which is adapted to be aligned withthe edge 51 of the tang aperture when the tang is flexed to the raisedposition shown in FIG. 8. In this position, the notch may receive theedge 51 and the lug may be flexed rearwardly about its mounting todisengage the forward lip 48 from the forward aperture edge 49, thuscompletely freeing the cover for opening.

From the above description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides a novel cover retaining PatentedOct. 24, 1961' latchwhich is of simple construction and operation, and which requires noseparate parts, or assembly of parts, for manufacture. The cover,nevertheless, is positively retained in its closed position, and cannotbecome accidentally dislodged, since deliberate manipulation of the lugand tang, as above described, is required to unlock the cover foropening.

- While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus and that changes may bemade therein without departing from the scope of the invention which isdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A latch construction for securing a cover member in stationaryposition on a body, comprising a flexible portion on one edge of saidcover member having an aperture of predetermined dimensionstherethrough, a lug on said body and normally extending through saidaperture in the closed position of said cover and includ ing astationary flexible mounting aligned with said aperture in thestationary position thereof for projection of said lug through saidaperture, said lug and said aperture being so dimensionally related thatthey cannot be disengaged by forcing them relatively apart, said lug ineluding a stern of less cross-sectional dimension than said aperture, alip above said stem dimensioned to extend over one edge of said apertureand normally spaced at its intersection with said stem from said oneedge of said aperture, and means providing a notch in said lug abovesaid lip on the opposite side of said lug from said lip for receivingthe edge of said aperture opposite said one edge in response to flexureof said cover portion into a position wherein said aperture isapproximately aligned with said notch providing for movement of said lugabout its flexible mounting to withdraw said lip from engagement overthe edge of said aperture.

2. A latch construction for securing a cover member in stationaryposition on, a body, comprising a flexible portion on one edge of saidcover member having an aperture of predetermined dimensionstherethrough, a lug on said body and normally extending through saidaperture in the closed position of said cover and including a stationaryflexible mounting aligned with said aperture in the stationary positionthereof for projection of said lug through said aperture, said lug andsaid aperture being so dimensionally related that they cannot bedisengaged by forcing them relatively apart, said lug including a stemof less cross-sectional dimension than said aperture, a forwardprojecting lip above said stem dimensioned to extend over one edge ofsaid aperture and normally spaced at its intersection with said stemfrom said one edge of said aperture, a rearwardly projecting lip on saidlug opposite from said forward lip and normally engageable with the edgeof said aperture opposite said one edge, the remainder of said lug beingof lesser cross dimension than said aperture, and means providing anotch in said lug above said rearward projecting lip for receiving saidopposite edge of said aperture in response to flexure of said coverportion into a position wherein said aperture is approximately alignedWith said notch providing for movement of said lug about its flexiblemounting to withdraw said forward lip from engagement over said one edgeof said aperture.

3. A latch construction as defined in claim 1, wherei in said lug isprovided with a cam surface beneath said notch and cooperable with saidopposite edge of said aperture to move said lug forwardly upon flexureof said portion of said cover member and provide for passage of said lugpartially through said aperture into an unlatching position.

4. A latch construction for securing an openable cover member stationaryposition, comprising a flexible tang projecting from one edge of saidcover member and having an aperture of predetermined dimensionstherethrough, a lug having a flexible mounting adapted for alignmentwith said aperture for movement therethrough, a forward projecting lipon said lug spaced above said mounting and engageable over an edge ofsaid aperture to retain said tang in fixed relation to said mounting,and means defining a full width upwardly opening notch in the top ofsaid lug opposite from said lip providing for movement of said lug in adirection to release said lip from said tang for passage through saidaperture in response to fiexure of the portion of said tang on theopposite side of said lug from'said lip into a raised position whereinsaid aperture is approximately aligned with said notch.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSKiember Oct. 23,

